Fact Check by FC

In this episode, we examine how the promise of owning SpaceX before its IPO exposed investors to risks far removed from the company’s rockets and business performance. Drawing on the SEC’s allegations against Owen Meyer and Meyer Global Management, we trace how an unpaid $46,020 capital call, unanswered default notices, and a court judgment left a fund’s investors without the SpaceX exposure they...

In this episode, we look beyond headline fundraising figures to examine what the 2026 IPO recovery means for companies considering a listing. We explore how mega-deals and SPAC activity shape the numbers, why access to capital remains selective, and how early preparation in accounting, governance, and D&O insurance can help companies approach the public markets with greater flexibility.

In this episode, we break down one of the most persistent myths in OTC-to-Nasdaq uplisting strategy: the idea that every OTC company must simply wait one year before applying. The reality is far more specific. Ordinary OTC issuers are not subject to a universal one-year seasoning period, but they do face separate Nasdaq tests for recent trading volume, market value, minimum bid price, unrestricted...

In this episode, we break down the high-stakes world of the DEF 14A proxy statement and why it is far more than annual meeting paperwork. From record dates, broker inquiries, notice-and-access deadlines, quorum rules, broker non-votes, say-on-pay results, universal proxy contests, and shareholder proposal mechanics, we examine how the proxy statement turns corporate governance into a live ballot....

In this episode, we examine the contradiction at the center of the 2026 U.S. SPAC market: issuance has recovered, but completed de-SPAC transactions remain stuck at the finish line. SPAC IPO activity is rising again, experienced sponsors are returning, and capital formation looks healthier on the surface. But beneath that recovery, high redemptions, selective PIPE capital, tougher SEC rules, excha...

In this episode, we examine how small technical failures inside cloud and software infrastructure can become systemic risks for banks, markets, airlines, hospitals, retailers, and other critical services. From the Google Cloud outage and Cloudflare dependency failure to CrowdStrike’s global Windows disruption and AWS incidents, we look at why modern digital resilience is not just about redundancy,...

In this episode, we explore one of the most important cybersecurity shifts of the AI era: the transition from AI generating content to AI taking action. Episode 15 Checklist: ☐ Understand why AI is accelerating traditional cyberattacks. AI is not inventing entirely new attack techniques—it is compressing attack timelines from days into hours by automating phishing, credential abuse, privilege esca...

In this episode, we break down the SEC's 2026 regulatory reset and what it could mean for American capital markets. After years of rising disclosure burdens, aggressive enforcement driven policy, and a shrinking public market pipeline, the SEC is now signaling a major pivot toward capital formation, clearer crypto rules, IPO access, financial materiality, and market structure reform. From toke...

In this episode, we review the U.S. IPO market in the first half of 2026 and examine what the latest issuance activity really says about capital markets sentiment. From deal volume and sector leadership to valuation discipline and investor demand, we look at why the IPO window has started to reopen, while still falling short of a full-cycle recovery. Episode 13 Checklist: ☐ Separate IPO recovery f...

In this episode, we break down the Federal Reserve's June 2026 decision to hold rates steady while sending a more hawkish signal to markets. In Kevin Warsh's first meeting as Chair, the Fed left rates unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%, but rewrote its message: the projections flipped from a rate cut to a hike, the statement was stripped of its easing language, and the door to near-term cuts quie...

In this episode, we break down the Federal Reserve’s June 2026 decision to hold rates steady while sending a more hawkish signal to markets. From sticky CPI and PPI readings to resilient retail sales and a still-firm labor market, we examine why the Fed was not ready to cut, why it stopped short of hiking, and how investors reacted to a rate path that now looks higher-for-longer.   Episode 11 Chec...

n this episode, we begin with the week’s key market signals, including the latest PPI/CPI readings and labor market data, and discuss what they may imply for interest-rate expectations, public market sentiment, and IPO timing. We then turn to the continuing AI IPO race, including OpenAI-related market attention and SpaceX’s latest capital markets developments, before moving into the SEC’s proposed...

In this episode, we break down the emerging AI IPO race and what public market investors will actually be asked to price. From Anthropic and OpenAI to CoreWeave, Figma, Reddit, Cerebras, and other AI-related listings, we examine how AI companies are being classified, valued, and scrutinized as they move from private-market hype to public-market disclosure. Episode 9 Checklist: ☐ Separate AI narrat...

In this episode, we break down SpaceX’s S-1 filing and the practical market questions behind what could become one of the largest IPOs in U.S. history. From Starlink’s profitability and AI infrastructure expansion to Elon Musk’s voting control, staged lockups, underwriting structure, and valuation debate, we examine the key checkpoints investors and market participants should watch before listing....

In this episode, we break down the practical realities of listing on Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange. From public float and shareholder distribution to governance requirements and recent Nasdaq rule changes, we examine the critical checkpoints companies must clear before entering the public markets. Episode 7 Checklist: ☐ Separate SEC approval from exchange approval in your IPO planning pro...

The IPO window is finally opening back up, but the rulebook has changed underneath it. Between April 2025 and April 2026, Nasdaq filed roughly 70 rule changes with the SEC. The vast majority were routine market plumbing. Six were not. They are structural shifts that rewrite the playbook for public companies, SPAC sponsors, and the entire crypto ETP market. In this episode of Fact Check by First Co...

First Cover is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York, serving clients in more than 120 regions worldwide. We support public and emerging growth companies operating in complex market environments through integrated capital markets advisory, public perception strategy, and regulatory compliance services. Episode 5 Checklist: ☐  Audit your company's AI generated summary ri...

First Cover is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York, serving clients in more than 120 regions worldwide. We support public and emerging growth companies operating in complex market environments through integrated capital markets advisory, public perception strategy, and regulatory compliance services. Episode 4 Checklist: ☐  Know which rules apply to your issuer type. U.S....

First Cover is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York, serving clients in more than 120 regions worldwide. We support public and emerging growth companies operating in complex market environments through integrated capital markets advisory, public perception strategy, and regulatory compliance services. Episode 3 Checklist: ☐  Know the current unit structure. $10 per share, ...

First Cover is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York, serving clients in more than 120 regions worldwide. We support public and emerging growth companies operating in complex market environments through integrated capital markets advisory, public perception strategy, and regulatory compliance services. Episode 2 Checklist: AI Disclosure Risk After March 2026 ☐ Audit every A...

First Cover is a global professional services firm headquartered in New York, serving clients in more than 120 regions worldwide. We support public and emerging growth companies operating in complex market environments through integrated capital markets advisory, public perception strategy, and regulatory compliance services. 5 Key Steps to Evaluate Your Board's Insurance Coverage Is your Director...